Focus on electrocution

The aims of our study were to describe the epidemiological profile and lesion characteristics of the victims in order to suggest avenues for improvement in terms of prevention. This was a retrospective descriptive study carried out over a period of 4 years covering all cases of death by electrocution whose bodies had undergone a forensic autopsy. We collected 126 cases of electrocution. The cases were predominantly male with a sex ratio of 9.5. The average age was 39.68 years. 61.1% of those electrocuted were manual workers. Accidental electrocution was the most frequent form (97.6%). High-voltage current was responsible for 52.5% of electrocutions. In 64.3% of cases the causal agent was an exposed cable. The majority of victims died within the first 24 hours (79.4%). No victims were medically transported. A definite diagnosis of electrocution is often difficult. It relies on the combination of anamnesis data with autopsy findings and complementary examinations. Prevention requires accurate diagnosis.